Rotary engine.



J. M. FOY.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 12. 1910.

Patented June 27, 1911.

3 SHBETS-BHEET 1 WITNESSES ATTORNEYS J. M. PDY. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIG 4' 2,

A'I'IDN IITLD HA3 1 1910 June 27,

3 SHBHTS-SHIJEIT 2.

WITNESSES: l/WE/VTUR era ATTORNEYS J. M. POY.

' ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICIATIOH FILED MAR.12,1910.

Patented June 27, 1911.

3 SBEETB-BHEET 3.

ATTORNEYS INVENTOR Jar/was" .W/y By WITNESSES;

JAMESLMOBRIS roar, of PALATKA, rmnmn.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June27, 191.1.

A ueaaonmeammh 1'2, 191'0. Serial No. 548,764.

,State of Florida, have invented a new and Improved Rotary Engine, of which the fol- .10 ing is, a full, clear, and exact description.

is invention relates to rotary engines,

and has reference more particularly to a rotary, internal combustion engine of the revolving cylinder type, in which the governor controls the air inlet valve, to maintain the cylinders open if the speed of the engine exceeds a-predetermined limit, so that no explosions can take place, and in which the piston rods are in guiding engagement with a suitable guide on the engine frame, whereby the piston heads are moved inthe cylinders as these rotate. The object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient internal combustion. rotary engine which is compact in form, and can be'exactly governed, in which the exploded charges are thoroughly scavenged from the cylinders, in which the-exhaust gases new a. large extent carried off from the vicinity of the engine, and by means of: which any desired number of explosive c \'linders can be combined in one prime mover.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be iiiorefi lll u described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

Referenceis to be liad to the acompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which a Figure 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the engine, partly on the line 2-2 of Fig. i

1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fl'ilglikllitll'), longitudinal section of one of the cylinders and the guide arm associated therewith; Figu-t isan end view of the piston rod. showing the means for engaging the fixed guide of the engine; and Fig. 5 is a plan-view ofi ni -t of one of the cylinders, sh ning. a -.po i't;iou thereof in cross section, and n tratingf'the connection between theevlinders and the fuel-supply passage.

Before prmrceding to a more detailed c.\'-- planation of in) invention.'it should be clearly understood that the same is an HP ternal combustiou'rugiuc with which an) suitable fucl candae need, for example, gas l inesh with a bevel gear 15 "rigid with'a shaft 'having at each end a bearing race 21. is

head 28 having rigidly lene, alcohol, and other hydro-carbon explosive substances. Vhile I ha v'c shown f" example, an engine comprising four (w th. ders, each of which develops a single pewergl stroke during one revolution, any others moi her of cylinders can be combined in a single engine, and the parts can be so arranged that one or more explosions per revolution are produced.

Certain of the details of construction form no part of the invention, and can be varied in accordance with special conditions and individual preference, without departing from the underlying spirit of the invention. Referring more particularly to the draw ings, I provide an on no frame having a; "base 10, of substantifilv-cylindricai fo and adapted to be njiiunted upon la suitabl bed-plate or other support. ,The base has a top 11. in which is formed a substantialh' vertical bearing 12. A correspondingly vertical shaft 13 is jcurnaled in-the bearing. and at the lower end has a bevel ear .14, in

16. The latter is the shaft from which the power of the engine-is taken, and journaled in a suitable bearing 17, formed at one side of the engine base. The base has laterally extending arms 18, the ,ekireniities of nvhich are upwardlydisposed and provided with outwardLy-cxtending lugs 1!). for a purpose to appear hereinafter. sleeve 20.

keyed or otherwise rigidly secured upon the shaft 13. and rests at the upper end of the bearing 12, which forms a bearing race 22. Ball bearings are' positioned between the lower race ZLand the race 22, so that the sleeve is rotatably mounted. and can be operated with a'niinimum of friction.

I employ cylinders 24, having extensions 20"- rigidly secured to the sleeve '20, and spaced cqui-distant. The cylinders are arranged at right angles toradii from the center of the shaft. and extend tangentially with respect to the shaft. Each has rigid therewith a' guide arm extending in the direction of the length of il1E;C \'l l 11(l Ql-. and provided with an undercut guides-move or slot 26. The cylinders ha\' heads are open at the ends oppofs "o the heads. i. in. at the ends from wh-ir nide arms extend. 'itliin each rvl r'piston-f with a piston rod 29. The pfistonfr' at the outer ends have extensions opposite sides of which are secured bars 31, by means of bolts32. Between the bars are pivotally mounted spindle bolts 33, carrying rollers 34 between the bars 31. The rollers may be of any suitable form, and consist. for example, of cores 35 having rims 36, and side pieces 3'7 secured thereto b means of rivets 38. At the outside of the bars 31, the

s indle'bolts carry outer guide rollers 39. Lach s indle' bolt further, has at the lower end a urt-her uide roller 40. The arrangement of the to lers is shown most clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. It will be understood that the extensions 30, the sidebars 31,and the vwith lugs 43, corresponding'to the lugs 19,

and positioned thereon. The guide comprises an inwardly extendin flange 44 havmg associated therewith a ownwardly offset fian e .45, provided with an upwardly- .dispose rim 46. The rim is located inwardly'of the inner edge'of the flange 44, as

is shown'most clearly in Fig. 1. The guide comprises in the present form of the invention, four symmetrical sections, extendin as is shown in Fig. 1, from A to B, from to C, from C to D, and from D to A. Each section consists of three parts, for example A, A and A"; The first is outwardly curved with respect to the central shaft, the second is concentric with the shaft. and the third is inwardly disposed, and substantially straight, with respect to the shaft. The guide roller 34 of each cross head en ages at the inner rim of the flange 44 o the. guide. The roller of each cross head engagesat theinside of the outwardly disposed rim 46 of the flange 45. The rollers 39 are in rolling contact with the corresponding guide arm 25. v

I employa'spider 47, having arms 48 preferably corresponding to the arms 18, and

provided with downwardly disposed extrem ities. having lugs 49 seatingrupon the lugs '43. The lugs 19, 43 and 49am secured to gether by means of suitable bolts 50. v The spider has a central bearing 51, in which 1s 'ournaled the upper portion of the shaft 13. llhe bearing 51, at the lower end forms a hearing race 52, between which and the upr-race 21 of the sleeve 20, are located ball rin s 53. A lubricant cup 54 is mounted upon t e bearing 51, and serves to supply lubricant-to the shaft. The latter has a passage 55 therethrough,connected by means'ofi leading to a carbureter 58 or other sultable source of fuel supply.' Each cylinder has associated therewith a fuel inlet valve casing 59, communicating with an inlet valveseat 60 adapted to be closed by an inwardly opening valve 61. Thelatter has a stem 62 movably arranged with respect to the valve casing, and controlled by a spring 63, so that the valve tends normally to seat, and thereby to close the inlet to the cylinder. Each valve casing 59 is connected by means of a tube G4,'w1th a lateral passage 65 extending through-the shaft. 13 and the sleeve 20, and v communicating.with the passage 55'of the shaft, so that fuel can enter the cylinder from the carbureter. Each cylinder also has an ignition device 66, consistingof a spark plug or the like. Near the open ends, the cylinders have exhaust outlets 67, consisting of laterally disposed passages extending throu h an annular member 68 carried by the cy inders. An annular exhaust gas conductor 69 is located under the cylinders within the engine frame, and has exhaust openings and a pipe 70 by means of which the exhaust gas can be conducted to a point remote from the engine.

each cylinder, the outlet thereof is in juxtaposition With an opening of the exhaust conductor 69, and is arranged to discharge into the passa e-.71 extending through the exhaust C0l1 actor 69, and communicating. with the pipe 70, themeniber 68 closing the openings of the conductor when the cylinder outlets register with the openings.

Each cylinder head 27 is provided with an air inlet 72 constituting a valve-seat ,edapted to be closed by a valve 73, opening inwardly. The valve has a stem 74 movably arranged in an'opening of a guide arm 75 having a post or carrier extension 76. The valve stem 74 has a head 77 engaged by a spring 78 mounted upon the stem, and engaging the arm 75. so that the valve 73 tends normally to remain closed. A valve opening arm 79 is pivoted at the end of the carrier 76, and is adapted to engage the. end of the valve-stem, so that the arm 79 can be operated to open .the valve against the tension of the spring 78.. A spring detent S0 is mounted upon the cylinder head and has a jointed extremity 81 adapted to engage a projection 82 at the end of the arm 79, to hold the arm imposition such that the valve is open. A detent-controlling arm is pivoted upon the carrier 76. and has a finger 84 adapted to engage thedetent to release the same when the arm 83 is operatedf I I employ a governor'85, mounted upon one of the s ider .arms 48, of the usual the governor 1s rotated. It is connected The arrangement is such that during the exhaust stroke ofgravitational ype,-havin'g-'n1ovable weights by means of a belt 88, or in any other suitable manner, with the shaft 13. A lever 89 is pivoted upon the governor base 90, and has atone end a counterweight 91. At the other end, '-the lever has pivotally associated therewith, a trip pin 92, which is movably arranged in a guide 93 carried at the end of an arm 94, extending rigidly from a spider arm 48. An adjacent spider arm-48 has a fixed trip,95, the purpose of which will appear hereinafter.

An ignitingmernber'QG is mounted upon the engine frame and is adapted to engage the igniting device of the cylinders when the same reach predetermined pointsof theirtravel, to cause sparks to be produced in the cylinders, and thereby to explode their charges. The igniting device has a slotted part 97, secm'ed by means of set screws 98 to the engine "frame, so that it can be adjusted to regulate the spark.

It will be'noted that the guide arms 2-3" are bifurcated, so that the guide flange 44 is movably received by the sides thereof. 'lhis construction is most clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. r

The operation of the machine is as follows, referring particularly to the cylinder whose cross-head is at the point 11 of the guide, and assuming that this cylinder has heen'scavenged and is readyto draw in a charge. The rotation of the cylinder causes the piston to move toward the open end of the same. owing to the engagement 'of the cross-head of the pison rod, witlNh-e guide, so t'hata charge is, drawn into the cylinder during the time that it is moving from the point I) 01 the guide, to the point'D'. T he charge i is C()llll)l'@5 (f(l while-tlie.cros.-:- head of the-piston rod is traveling from the point D of the guide, along the in: wardly disposed part thereof, to the point A. as this portion of the guide forces the piston head toward the head end of the Cylinder. \Vhen thecross head reaches the point A of the guide; the charge withinth'e' cylinder is exploded by means of the con-' tact device 96, which has come into engagement with-the spark plug; 66 to close'the:

circuit thereof. The cylinder thendevelops a power-stroke between A. and A? of the "guide. The portion A." of the guide is so arranged that the pistpnrod' is at substan-g tially right angles-pith respect thereto, and in consequence. the force of the explosion tends to drive the cylinder about the shaft 13. At the endof'thepower.stitilregthe exhaust outlet of the cyliiider comes :into. operative relation with the en'hausthas' conductor and the major portioii-tofithe gases escape through this conductor, Between A and B of the guide, the acylinder is.ex-

hausting, the fixed trip UT: having opened l 4 1 I the air valve oi the cvlmdcr; by engaging D of the guide, the piston is reciprocated in the cylinder, and as the air valve is open, the cylinder is thoroughly scavenged there by. The air valve is closed by the trip pin 92, so that when the cross-head of the cylinder again reaches the point' D of the guide. it is ready todraw in another charge and repeat the cycle of operations-describe above. If however, the speed of the engine has -exceeded a predetermined limit, the trip pin will be drawn forward out of the possibility of engagement with the detentcoutrolling valve, which remains open, and no explosion will take place in the cylinder until it has completed another revolution. Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A rotary engine comprising a frame, a cylinder mounted to rotate upon said frame. a piston in said cylinder, said frame having means for reciprocating said piston, said cylinder having a controlling valve, a trip: ping device carried by said frame, for operating said valves, a governor mounted upon said frame. means whereby said cylinder actuates said governor. and a second tripping device carried by said frame, and independent of said first tripping device, :-:aid second tripping device serving to control said valve. said governor being operatively connected with said sccondtripping device and'adaptcd' torender the same operative and -inoperative. 2. A rotary engine comprising a frame. a cylinder mounted to rotate thereupon. said frame having a fixed guide arranged about said cylinder. a piston within said cylinder and having a piston rod movably engaging said guide," said cylinder having a coutroi- -lingvalve,,a fixed trip carried by said frame and servingto operate said valve, a movable tripcarried by said frame and serving to control said .valve, and a goi ernor carried by ,said frame and operatively connected Jvith sai'd movable trip, said tri )5 being independent. of one another and being arranged i upathssnch that said valve will be opepatcdthereby as said cyl nder rotates.

A rotary engine comprising a lrame. a cylinder mounted to .1'otate upon saidfran c. t fixed gnid e'carried by saidiramc ab ut said eylin .le1",a piston within said cylinder andliaviug a piston rodin operating engagement 'with said guide, a. fixed igniting device carried by said frame and arranged fin the path of said cylinder. said ,'cylin der having means whereby a chargewithin saidcvlinder can be exploded at a predetermined point of i the revolution of. said cyli ul'er, by the engagemeut of said means with said fixed, i'g niting device, said cylinder having a cop- 1 trolling valve. a fixed trip carried by said 5 f ame, for operating said valve. a movable l'taep carried by said frame, for operating exhaust stroke has ended- Between B and 'said valve, and indegendent of said fixed trip, a governor carrie by said fraine,'means whereby said cylinder serves to actuate said governor, said governor being operatively connected with said movable trip and means for supplying said cylinder wit an explo-' sive charge. a

4. rotary engine comprising a frame, a shaft ournaled in said frame, a cylinder rigs, idly secured to said shaft and mounted to rotate therewith, a fixed guide carried by said frame and extending around said cylinderand said shaft, a piston within said cylinder and having a piston rod said piston rod ving a cross-head movably engaging said; guide means for igniting a charge witti in said cylinder, sai cylinder having.

, a controllin valve, a fixed trip carried by said frame,

able tri carried by sai frame, for operating sai valve, said trips being in aths such that said valve will be operated tiereby assaid cylinder rotates, a governor car-' ried by said frame and operatively connected with saidgmovable tri to control the same, and means for supplying said 0 linder with an explosive charge, said uide having a part extendingoutwardly, rom said shaft, a partconcentric with the axis of said shaft, and apart extending toward said shaft.

5. A rotary engine comprising a frame, a cylinder mounted to rotate in sfitid frame and having a guide arm rigid tl rewith, a guide carried by said frame and extending around said cg inder, piston within said cylinder and avin [lfiPlStOn rod movably engagingsaid gui e and said fuide arm,

said cylinder having a controlli 1g 'valve, a trip device carried by said frame nd serving to o erate said controlling valve, an indepen ent tri device carried by said frame and adapte to be rendered operative and inoperative relative to said valve, and a gov-- ernor carried by said frame, means whereby said cylinder serves to actuate. said governor, said governor being operatively connected with said independent trip device, said lastmentioned trip device being normally inoperativ'e. p

6. A rotary engine comprising a frame, a cylinder mounted to rotate in said fra me and having a rigid guide arm extending longr tudinall from said cylinder, :1 fixed guide carried y said frame and extending around said cylinder,'a piston withinsaid cylinder and having a iston rod, said piston rod ha va in a crossead movably en aging said ide and said arm, said cylin er having a controllin valve, a fixed tr p" carried by said frame. an servin to operate said valve, a movable trip carr ed by said frame, a gov ernor carried b sa d frame, means whereby the rotation 0 said cylinder actuatcssaidgovernor, and means whereby sa d governor aetuates said movable tripl and means whereby nor having means for .able trip, said trips being independent of or operatin said valve, a mov- 'a trip device for operatin constraining the same 7. A rotary engine comprising a frame, a pluralit of cylinders rigidly connected and monnte to ride upon said frame a fixed guide carried b said frame an encomassing said cylinders, said cylinders having therein pistons and piston rods, said piston rods movably engaging said uide, each of said cylinders having a contro ing valve, a fixed trip carried by said frame, for o erating said controllin valves successivel y, a movable trip carrie by said frame'and adapted, when operative, to control said valves, a governor carried by said frame,

the rotation of saidcylinders actuates said governor, said overoneanother.

8. A rotary engine, comprisin a cylinder mounted to rotate, a piston therein havin a piston rod, a valve controlling said cylir. er, said who, a fixed guide about said cylin er and con prising an inwardly disposed flange and an offset flange h ving a laterally disposed rim, and a cross and connected with said piston rod and havin rollers engaging at the inner edge of said first flange and at the outer si e of said rim of said second flange respectively.

9. A rotary ,engine, comprising a cylinder mounted to rotate, a piston therein havin a piston rod, a valve controlling said cylin er, a trip device for operat-in said valve, a fixed guide about said cylinder and com- 'grising an inwardly disposed flange and a ownwardly ofl'set flange having1 a laterally disposed rim, and a cross hea connected with said piston rod and havin rollers engaging at the inner edge of sai first flange and at the outer side of said rim of said second flange respectively, said sleeve having a ri id arm having a guideway, said cross hea having a art slidably engaging said guideivay, and eing provided with additional rollers engaging said arms.

10. A rotary engine, comprising a pinrality, of cylinders rigidly connected, and mounted to rotate, a fixed guide encompassing said cylinders. said cylinders having pistons therein, and piston rods ri id with said pistons, and cross heads secure to said piston rods, said guide consisting of two parts each engaged by said cross heads, and to move in opposite directions. p

11. A rotary engine, com rising a'cylinden-mounted to rotate, a fixe guide, a piston within said cylinder and having a movable cross head engaging said. guide,sai d der 1 ving an exhaust outlet,a fixed exhaust cont, ctor adapted as: rate with said exhaust outlet when said cy inder is in apredetermined position, and means for supplying: said cyhnder Ith -an explosive charge.

controlling sai mov- .normal position,

'12. A rotary engme comprising a frame, a cylinder mounte to rotate in said frame, a fixed guide carried by said frame about said cylinder, a piston within said cylinder and having a piston rod movably controlled by said guide, said cylinder having a; controlling valve, a movable arm carried by said cylinder, for operating said valve, a spring tending to maintain said valve in a a detent carried by said cylinder and controlling said arm. a movable detent-c'ontrolling arm carried by said cylinder, and trips carried by said frames, for operating said arms.

13. A rotary engine comprising a frame, a c linder mounted to rotate on said frame, a xed guide carried by said frame about said cylinder, a piston Within said cylinder and having a piston rod movably engaging said guide, sai cylinder having an air lnlet valve, a movable arm carried by said cylinder and serving to operate said valve, -a spring tending to maintain said valve in a normal, closed position, a detent carried b said cylinder, for holding said arm in posiopen, a second 5 and operative l tion such that said valve is arm carried by said cylinder to disengage said detent from said first arm, a movable arm carried by operating said first arm, a movable trip carried by said frame, for o crating said other arm, a governor carried said frame, and means whereby said cylin er serves to actuate said governor, said governor being 0peratively connected with said movable trip.

14. A rotary engine, comprising a plurality of cylinders mounted to rotate, a fitted guide, pistons within said cylinders and controlled by said guide, each of said cylinders having an inlet valve, a member connected with said cylinders and having openings therethrough constituting exhaust outlets" for said cylinders, a fixed exbaustconductor said frame, for

positioned under said member and'havii} areexhausted. I

'In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' JAMES MORRIS FOY. \Vitnesses:

T. B. MERRILL, llIARYF. MERRILL.

openings adapted to register with said eXJL}? haust outlets when said respgctive cylinders" 

